Wind and other miraculous forces

 We had a fairly windy day this week and now the trees are mostly bare. While you cannot see the wind, it’s easy to see it’s handiwork and experience it’s force. Trees were swaying, with leaves being scattered to the ground, people had to walk leaning their bodies forward into gusts, bracing themselves to keep from being pushed off course. Loose debris on the road skimmed above the surface until it crashed into a pole or fence or some other fixed object. And in the sky the clouds rushed across the great expanse as if they were running late and needed to rush to some other part of the world. 

You can’t see it, but you know it’s moving. 

Jesus tells the wind to be silent and the disciples fear him - who is this man that even the wind and waves obey him? 

Jesus scares us for the same reason we don’t want to trust wind - power, invisible, unpredictable. Just as Jesus can move the wind and waves, he moves in our hearts, across space and time - he moves powerfully - invisibly - unpredictably. 

But the wind’s power is often seen in destruction - capsizing boats, destroying homes, uprooting crops, and causing torrents of water to flood the land. Fearing the wind is natural because we aren’t sure we are safe.

Jesus’ power is so intimidating that it can be difficult to feel safe around him - and sometimes we are called into circumstances that don’t seem safe at all. But Jesus is good - and his power - even greater than the wind - brings healing - restoration - wholeness. 

I may not be able to see Jesus - but I see Him on the move. I see him moving when 10 people (many who do not know each other) work together to make these quilts for the girls. I see him moving after receiving donations from 13 different households- completely covering the cost of the quilts. 

Don’t let me paint a false picture here - it isn’t easy. This time seems to get longer with each passing day. And walking this path is like walking uphill into gale force winds - requiring every ounce of strength and courage I have. But I also have the strength that comes from knowing that I do do not walk alone.

Amy Grant has an old song (How can we see that far) that says “The mighty wind that knocks us down if we lean into it, will drive our fears away.” 

There are times that God hides us in the cleft of a rock face and His great wind passes by us. There are times His voice comes on the softest breeze. There are times God himself will silence the wind and waves on our behalf. And there are times the storm will continue to rage around us - and we have to press into it - because He is moving. And the violence of the wind whipping around us will not be our destruction - but will make us whole.